Migaloo

Blurb

Migaloo is a modern twist on Moby Dick.
A single premeditated act in the South Ocean captured on film for the world to see will set the stage for a heated emergency investigation and meeting of the International Whaling Commission.
Just who will be responsible?
Beneath the surface the fate of Migaloo will make a research couple confront tensions in their marriage, a young Japanese scientist assess his loyalties, an anti-whaling activist take stock of her own choices and the Commissioner of the International Whaling Commission account for his life’s work.
Migaloo is the story of what we prize and protect as much as what we pursue and the influence that both have on our relationships with each other and the environment.

Chapter 1

Like a small handheld lighthouse, a silent phone screamed its light into the darkened room, warning of the treacherous waters ahead.

In the darkness a curled frame wrapped in sheets looked like a walrus stranded on a small island and it was only the shriek of light from the silent phone that would shatter the illusion, revealing a man sheltering in his dreams.

Weary and tired from more than just a days work, his crooked ageing body seemed to want to shipwreck itself within this room. It was here his mind would be adrift with memories of the sea, a place more mythical and misunderstood than anywhere on earth. Gently the salty wind, the sway of the vessel and the vast blue would envelope him like a rising tide as he lay down in yet another unfamiliar bed to rest.

It had though, been some time since Graham Orbost had stood on the bow of a ship at such an hour, scanning the horizon for the light. Orbost had anchored himself now to a life of meetings and debate that never seemed to inch any closer to a meaningful end.

And there the light shot out again wanting for attention, the latest burst tickling his eyelids and calling him back to the room. Orbost untangled his arms and reached for the phone, revealing a flurry of missed calls and text messages.

The first:

“He is dead. We need to meet, NOW.” Sent 3:12AM

And another:

“There’s an urgent briefing on your email, read it and call me immediately, we need to develop a statement.” Sent 3:28AM

He responded:

“I’m up and reading.”

Orbost switched on the light, gathered his glasses and held the phone like an inexperienced luddite, pressing each number and application precisely, waiting earnestly for his unwanted companion to tell him what he needed to know.

That the Head of the International Whaling Commission seeks an injunction against further scientific whaling activities in the Southern Ocean until an investigation into the death of Migaloo has been completed.

Current Situation

Media reports indicate that Migaloo, a seven-year-old rare albino male humpback whale has been killed in the Southern Ocean.

As yet no footage of the reported incident has been released to the media.

It is unclear from media reports if Migaloo was deliberately or accidently killed by scientific whaling activities or activist responses to such activities.

Media reports indicate that both the Japanese scientific whaling vessel Nisshin Maru and the activist vessel MV Aemila are leaving the Southern Ocean following the incident.

Background:

Migaloo is a seven-year-old rare albino male humpback whale first spotted as a juvenile off the east coast of Australia.

Migaloo is known throughout the world as a rare albino mammal and has received significant media attention in the past when sighted during his migration along the east coast of Australia.

The Japanese scientific whaling vessel Nisshin Maru entered the Southern Ocean on 5 December 2015 and encountered the anti-whaling vessel Aemila on 7 December 2015.

Activist aboard the Aemila routinely film several interactions with the Nisshin Maru as well as the activities of scientific whaling, releasing this footage to the media and through social media.

Risks/Issues:

The potential release of footage to the media of Migaloo being killed, the rare albino will draw significant international attention

The effectiveness of the International Whaling Commission may be the subject of media commentary

Regards

Evelyn Bright

Media Liason Officer - International Whaling Commission

Orbost’s immediate gut reaction was that this had been a deliberate act, but as the Commissioner he knew better than to jump to conclusions as the stakes were too high.

He thought through the invisible net that seemed to trap whales in a never-ending debate of cultural, political, economic and social dynamics, just as volatile and unpredictable as any ocean.

An impulsive unfounded claim towards the activists would see the International Whaling Commission attacked every which way at the same time pointing the finger at Japan with such conviction would trickle through trade talks, corporate deals and investment activities throughout the world.

Yet the death of a rare albino humpback whale caught on film could be powerful, but it hadn’t been released … yet.

This baffled Orbost. He determined he would need to proceed cautiously yet proceed – any form of stalemate and inaction on his behalf would corrode the credibility of the International Whaling Commission further.

The last time he had interacted with Captain Tom Nugent of the activist ship the Aemila, Nugent had placed just such a veiled threat in his correspondence, deriding the International Whaling Commission as futile, feeble and all talk.

Secretly Orbost shared Nugent’s frustrations.

They were in pursuit of the same treasure - a world free from whaling yet with vastly different tactics; one charting a seemingly steady course through discussion and debate; the other confronting the act itself in the unpredictable slop of the sea.

Orbost and Nugent needed each other but they were starkly different, coexhisting like land and ocean. The land needed the ocean to frame its boundaries while the ocean needed the land to break against in order to be heard.

Orbost sat on the edge of the bed thinking through years of interactions with Nugent, which always seemed to be shrouded in a fog of continuous suspicion that in this moment was thick with conspiracies.

“Would Nugent have done this deliberately to bring international media attention to their cause?”

Orbost righted himself, his joints creaking as he reached for his stick to steady himself and he made way to the bathroom to splash water on his worn face.

In the mirror, he stared into his crystal blue eyes hoping to find a small piece of his soul to cling to before the day tossed him about. Again the question rose up at him.

“Did Nugent do this?”

His phone lit up the room behind him again. It was 3:43AM now. He would have to call Evelyn.

Write a Review
Did you enjoy my story? Please let me know what you think by leaving a review! Thanks,
Catherine Russell

JWalker:
I loved this story from start to finish! It flows at a really nice pace and the story world feels so real. The fight sequences are a treat especially when Isanfyre is training to become a warrior. I found the names really cool and thankfully easy to pronounce. Personally I have always struggled w...

Erin Crowley:
The concept here is really strong, but the execution is definitely lacking. Tenses, grammar, etc are all off, with at least one or more errors per 'Page' on my phone. The writing style is almost broken- sentences move into each other awkwardly, and are filled with an excess of "filler words", lik...

ElusiveBadwolf:
I loved this book so much! It's a shame that i already came to the end of this. I really enjoyed the story, and i liked it how everything became in the end. It was a great book and i can say that you are a great writer too. Keep it that way and i think you can make it in the writing business!

harry142018:
This story was gripping and very professionally written. With lots of twists and slight of hand tricks, the author deceives the reader until finally showing their cards at the end. With several subplots all intertwining to create the main plot, this really is an interesting and engaging read.

Hali McGowan:
when will the third book be done? I am absolutely hooked. I red the first two books within less than a week. I'm itching for the third one. The plotline is absolutely wonderful. I've never been much for sci-fi ish books. but you've got me hooked on this series

Dee:
It’s been two years since Lilly lost her best friend to a vicious random shooting. Now, after a prestigious university extends her an offer of study, she has the chance to start afresh and leave all her demons behind. But the last thing she expects is to meet Elliot. He's a criminal. She's hasn'...

matrixmark:
I thought that the introduction to this was relly well written and structurally sound in its presentation.The introduction to the cabin in the woods was good too. To me, it felt like a Blair Witch of yesteryear, but the things which you added in about the mutilated boys were certainly something n...

rudyoxborough46:
An action-packed, mystical adventure awaits anyone wishing to read this novel. I’m amazed at how well you’ve managed to flesh out the characters in this book, and I hope to read more of your work.I’ve read books about goblins and elves and all that mumbo-jumbo before, and most accounts of these c...

Giuliana Cassetta:
My face is full of tears, I never cried like now with a book or even a movie. I loved every single chapter. I truly don't know what to say, I'm out of words and my eyes hurt from crying. Such an bittersweet story, it's so wonderful. One of my favorites for sure. Keep it up!

borkarprasad:
Nicely laid story. Needed a little more ghost and Raven conversations. Initially, Had everyone on suspect list but satisfied by the precision to capture the killer. Waiting for more Raven and Cade adventures.

Flik:
Hi! ^.^ huge fan of yours on ff.net! When I saw the note about this contest on The Way We Smile, I couldn't help but rush over here, create an account, and vote! XD Seriously love this story and would recommend it to anyone! :D best FT fanfiction out there. Amazing story, amazing concept that wa...

Hawkebat:
Playing both Kotor I & II and Swtor I found the story line interesting and it held me until chapter 35 Very good story and plot flow until then, very few technical errors. I felt that the main character was a bit under and over powered, as it fought for balance. The last few chapters felt too f...

Sara Grover:
Being that this is your first story and I assume first draft, a lot of little mistakes are common, we all have made them; little things like your instead of you're, missed capitalization, missing punctuation, etc. As for the plot, I have a lot of questions and I did leave comments on certain sect...

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